13 Smart Tips for Online Grocery Shoppers

4. Take it slow.

Shopping at a grocery store can be a hurried affair. You might have other errands to run, or maybe you just hate navigating the crowded aisles. When you’re shopping for groceries online, there’s no need to rush, says Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet. “It can actually be easier to compare prices and apply coupons because you can take your time,” she says.

“You can also leverage the fact that you are sitting at home to plan out your meals and select items carefully,” she adds. “It can be easier to check what you already have in the pantry, look up recipes from cookbooks and get organized when you are in the comfort of your own home versus in a chaotic store.”

5. Follow good in-store shopping habits.

Just like shopping in a store, making a list of items that you need in advance can help you avoid impulse purchases. Even better: Try to build your grocery list around what’s on sale by hunting for limited-time markdowns on specific products and buy-one-get-one deals.

Other proven saving strategies include avoiding precut fruits and veggies (they typically cost more than uncut produce), buying generic products and paying with a rewards credit card that offers cash back or points for grocery purchases. 

“If you don’t have a robust cash-back card, consider signing up for a new one, and compare reward programs to meet your shopping needs,” says Andrea Woroch, a consumer savings adviser in Bakersfield, California.

6. Score loyalty rewards.

Many supermarkets and grocery delivery services let you use your loyalty card when shopping online, so take advantage of it. For example, Shipt allows customers to earn grocery credits and gas discounts through its Summit Seeker rewards program. FreshDirect offers loyal customers exclusive discounts through its Chef’s Table program. Instacart shoppers can qualify for cash back at participating gas stations through the company’s Cart Star program.

7. Get cash back for your electronic receipts.

A handful of mobile apps let you earn rewards by taking photos of grocery store receipts, and some of them extend this benefit to online shoppers. For instance, if you link your Fetch account to your email address, the app will automatically scan your inbox for e-receipts at participating stores and allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards at a variety of retailers and restaurants. Receipt Pal allows you to submit digital receipts and earn rewards.

Caveat: Some receipt reward apps sell or share their users’ purchase history and other personal information to third parties. Read the company’s data privacy policy to learn more.

8. Snatch up deals on surplus stock.

Woroch recommends scoping out deals on Martie, which receives overstock groceries from supermarkets and sells them at a discount of up to 80 percent off.

There’s also Misfits Market, Imperfect Foods and Hungry Harvest. These companies sell discounted foods that grocery stores deem unfit because they’re misshapen, have outdated packaging, are close to their expiration date or have blemishes.

9. Buy grocery gift cards on the cheap.

Gift card exchanges like CardCash, Gift Card Outlets and Gift Card Granny let people sell their unused gift cards at a discount. They offer gift cards from grocery chains like Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Sprouts, Giant Foods and ShopRite. The discounts for grocery store gift cards are typically small, but the savings can add up: Recently, a $100 Giant gift card was being sold for $97.70 on CardCash. Oftentimes, the higher a gift card’s value, the higher the discount.

10. Invite friends.

Some grocery stores and delivery apps reward online shoppers for referrals, Woroch says. Sam’s Club members who share a referral link with a friend earn a $5 credit when the person signs up for a membership. Stop & Shop customers receive a $10 credit when a friend places their first order of $100 or more. Kroger shoppers get a $5 credit for each new customer they refer, up to a maximum of five.

11. Sign up for auto-ship orders.

Depending on where you shop, you might be able to snag discounts via subscriptions for recurring purchases. For example, Vons provides 5 percent off a product’s lowest eligible price when you sign up for a subscription. Amazon Fresh offers discounts of up to 15 percent for customers who receive five or more eligible products in one auto-delivery. 

“Think about those goods you use daily, such as coffee, eggs and milk, and figure out a pattern for delivery that makes sense for you,” Woroch advises.

12. Load up your cart, then leave it.

Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping.com, a deal-finding site, says Instacart and Shipt customers have reported receiving emails with promo codes or discount nudges — like $10 off their next order — after abandoning a full cart for a day or two. 

“These emails typically say things like ‘Still need groceries?’ or ‘We saved your cart!,’ followed by a discount offer,” he says. “It’s more common for newer accounts or people who haven’t ordered in a while.”

13. Hunt for store brands.

Many grocery delivery apps prioritize brand-name products in search results “because they make more money off them,” James says. To find less expensive generics and store brands, like Great Value at Walmart, Member’s Mark at Sam’s Club or Good & Gather at Target, you often need to search for them by name. “They’re buried otherwise,” he says.